Blogs@Intel » Renee Wittemyerhttp://blogs.intel.com
Intel BlogsThu, 30 Jul 2015 23:16:27 +0000en-UShourly1Disrupting Global Development by “Making”http://blogs.intel.com/csr/2014/06/disrupting-global-development-making/
http://blogs.intel.com/csr/2014/06/disrupting-global-development-making/#commentsWed, 18 Jun 2014 15:20:29 +0000http://blogs.intel.com/csr/?p=2777Sensors may be small—but they have the power to dramatically alter seemingly intractable global development challenges. Monitoring and tracking environmental quality and air pollution, measuring how infrastructure like water pumps and power lines are working, monitoring water quality, and detecting … Read more >

]]>http://blogs.intel.com/blog/disrupting-global-development-by-making/feed/0Changing the Paradigm of Classrooms: New Study on Intel Teach and Impact on Girlshttp://blogs.intel.com/csr/2013/11/changing-the-paradigm-of-classrooms-new-study-on-intel-teach-and-impact-on-girls/
http://blogs.intel.com/csr/2013/11/changing-the-paradigm-of-classrooms-new-study-on-intel-teach-and-impact-on-girls/#commentsTue, 05 Nov 2013 15:45:28 +0000http://blogs.intel.com/csr/?p=2632Classrooms have seriously changed since I was a kid. The other day I awkwardly sat on a miniature 5-year-old sized chair and watched my daughter do a presentation in her kindergarten class. She was pointing and moving things on an … Read more >

]]>http://blogs.intel.com/blog/changing-the-paradigm-of-classrooms-new-study-on-intel-teach-and-impact-on-girls/feed/0Behind the Scenes: Launching Intel’s She Will Connecthttp://blogs.intel.com/csr/2013/10/behind-the-scenes-launching-intels-she-will-connect/
http://blogs.intel.com/csr/2013/10/behind-the-scenes-launching-intels-she-will-connect/#commentsFri, 04 Oct 2013 15:23:35 +0000http://blogs.intel.com/csr/?p=2600Renee Wittemyer is Intel’s Director of Social Impact. Some moments must be captured on camera. For me—this was one of them. Our new program for girls and women (that we have been tirelessly working on for months at Intel) was … Read more >

]]>http://blogs.intel.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-launching-intels-she-will-connect/feed/0“Behind the Scenes” with CNN, Take 17…http://blogs.intel.com/csr/2013/06/%E2%80%9Cbehind-the-scenes%E2%80%9D-with-cnn-take-17%E2%80%A6/
http://blogs.intel.com/csr/2013/06/%E2%80%9Cbehind-the-scenes%E2%80%9D-with-cnn-take-17%E2%80%A6/#commentsFri, 14 Jun 2013 20:29:25 +0000http://blogs.intel.com/csr/?p=2420“Intel Renee, San Francisco. Take 17.” Yes, it took 17 ‘takes’ to shoot a 20 second clip of me for Intel ‘s latest commercial on CNN (which is part of the buildup to the CNN Broadcast of Girl Rising on … Read more >

This blog was posted on behalf of Renee Kuriyan, Intel’s Director of Social Impact.

“We have access to thousands of bits of information, millions, but why memorize something that you can just look up in 3 seconds? No, you should know how to use that information…it’s regurgitation that is kind of killing us.” said Jack Andraka on a panel hosted by Chelsea Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative this October. Jack is Intel’s 15-year-old Science Fair winner who developed a new method for detecting pancreatic cancer.

In my research, I have had countless experiences watching students in East Africa, India and the United States memorizing and regurgitating information rather than being taught critical thinking, problem solving, and ways to communicate ideas effectively. These transferable skills are often missing in educational systems, but are essential to innovate and compete in a global workforce.

For technology corporations like Intel, a properly trained workforce is the foundation of our business and ability to innovate. That is why skills development is a key component of Intel’s education strategies– whether that’s equipping young people with digital or information literacy skills, or training teachers to use technology to deliver 21st century learning skills. Unfortunately, access to skills training is unequal – poor young women are least likely to have skills to become a productive force in the economy.

The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) just released an assessment of the Intel® Learn program, an education initiative that provides technology education to youth around the world, that examines its impact on female learners. ICRW found that Intel Learn has been able to reach large numbers of girls and women and enhance their technology and critical thinking skills, as well as their self-confidence. All this improves their effectiveness as students, community members, and businesswomen.

The report found that in most of the Intel Learn countries:

Girls’ self-confidence increased

Girls’ sense of power—their ability to control and share in resource use—increased while taking part in the program, as well as their ability to define and make choices

Girls improved their ability to use technologies to communicate, collect, share and organize information

Girls improved their collaboration and problem solving skills in all countries, and their creativity

Girls used technology to design and develop new product

Developing technology skills coupled with critical thinking is a powerful force to combatting unemployment, inequality and poverty and to promote economic growth.

]]>http://blogs.intel.com/blog/investing-in-skills-development-girls-and-digital-literacy/feed/0Girls Can Codehttp://blogs.intel.com/csr/2012/08/girls-can-code/
http://blogs.intel.com/csr/2012/08/girls-can-code/#commentsFri, 24 Aug 2012 16:25:43 +0000http://blogs.intel.com/csr/?p=1696The numbers are daunting. Only 3.6% of Fortune 500 companies are led by women. Less than 14% of computer science degrees are awarded to women. But the evidence for action is clear. Studies show that technology companies with more women … Read more >Read more >

]]>http://blogs.intel.com/blog/girls-can-code/feed/0Intel Employees Code and Do Goodhttp://blogs.intel.com/csr/2012/04/intel-employees-code-and-do-good/
http://blogs.intel.com/csr/2012/04/intel-employees-code-and-do-good/#commentsThu, 05 Apr 2012 20:00:38 +0000http://blogs.intel.com/csr/?p=108124 hours. That’s how long it took one of the Intel Code for Good hackathon teams to develop a functioning mobile app for World Pulse, a nonprofit dedicated to helping girls and women have a greater voice in more than … Read more >Read more >

]]>http://blogs.intel.com/blog/intel-employees-code-and-do-good/feed/0Renewing our Partnership with USAIDhttp://blogs.intel.com/csr/2012/03/renewing-our-partnership-with-usaid/
http://blogs.intel.com/csr/2012/03/renewing-our-partnership-with-usaid/#commentsTue, 13 Mar 2012 21:22:39 +0000http://blogs.intel.com/csr/?p=1030The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been Intel’s partner for 5 years. We’ve launched 20+ partnerships with them in Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East to train teachers to effectively use ICTs, provide technology support in … Read more >Read more >